In an effort to support high street retailers, eBay have launched Always Open on eBay with 30 sellers in the US and have issued an invitation for any sellers with a bricks and mortar store to join the programme.
The aim is to help sellers who also own physical retail stores to showcase their products, attract new customers, and grow their business. Participating retailers receive co-branded collateral for their physical space that promotes their eBay store, where their customers can shop at any time, and from anywhere.
eBay explain that they are acutely aware that many physical stores face increasing challenges, particularly those that are small and medium-sized businesses. As the lines between online and offline shopping continue to blur, they want to help physical stores owners keep up as technology rapidly alters the retail landscape.
How does Always Open on eBay help physical store owners
What it essentially means for physical store owners is that if a consumers sees your window display when you store is shut then they can scan a QR code in your shop window to buy on eBay at any time of the day or night. If they see something whilst in your store and delay their purchase than the eBay branding will let them know that they can buy online when they get home, they may even scan a QR code and add an item to their watched list whilst in your store.
This does of course pre-suppose that the store own adds all of their inventory to eBay – there’s little point in driving traffic to your eBay store if when the consumer gets there they can’t purchase the item they have just seen in your display. This will probably mean that store owners will want multichannel management software that can manage their online sales as well as keeping up to track with the physical store inventory.
“We’re sharply focused on helping our sellers solve their most pressing challenges. We believe that Always Open is one way we can further enable our seller community and drive incremental traffic and sales to their businesses on eBay.”
– eBay VP of Global Trust and Seller Experience Bob Kupbens
Always Open on eBay launch retailers
Always Open on eBay is launching with 30 sellers based in New York and the San Francisco Bay Area and is offered at no cost to sellers. Sellers signed up at launch run physical stores selling everything from fashion, music, sporting goods, collectibles, art, jewellery, games, car accessories and computing.
Apply to take part in ‘Always Open on eBay’
If you are an existing eBay seller with a physical retail store – or a retail store who has not yet brought your business online – and are interested in Always Open on eBay then you can apply to join the programme by filling in a short webform. eBay say that they will will evaluate your submission and respond by the 5th of March 2018, to confirm if you are a good match for the programme.
6 Responses
seems a bit overcooked
were always open anyhow
we just have a note in the window saying check us out on google and ebay
with our id and details
Doesn’t this go against the recent clampdown about contact details and off ebay selling ?
We just need to take one look at our high street and also the state of the shopping centre in Stirling (which is a bit of tourist trap town), and you can see the rapid decline of bricks and mortar. The place is becoming a total state, all the independents are pretty much now gone. Bookies, Vape shops, and Charity shops are what is left.
Not everyone is tech savvy and are afraid to dip their toe in the world of e-commerce which is a minefield, ebay is probs the easiest option and you can showcase a lot better than on a catalogue site like Amazon.
I think you would have to do this now however as you cannot depend on footfall. However I certainly would not listen to spin about how the eBay want to support bricks and mortar, profit from it is their main aim.
Seems a bit mad to have a poster in your shop window promoting ebay rather than your own online shop. It is really easy to generate a QR code containing a hyperlink to your website using online software you can use for free. Why let Ebay gain a commission for the effort you put into your shop window display.